Spinning of textile yarns



July 15, 1969 Filed Sept. 26. 1967 S. R. MAKEHAM ETA!- SPINNING orTEXTILE mms 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 mvsm'oas SAM ROBERT MAKEHAM :1 0|

ATTO NEYS July 15, 1969 s. R. MAKEHAM ETAL 3,455,095

SPINNING 0F TEXTILE mms Filed Sept 26. 19s? 5 2 Sheets-Sheet a f 4- .94!6 d R 32 N 1 W U i .NVENTORS SAM ROBERT MAKEHAM cf cl ATTORNEYS I UnitedStates US. C]. 57-34 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This invention isdirected to a method and apparatus for piercing-up yarn end breakages,as well as yarn ends resulting from the commencement of spinningoperations, in the open-end spinning of textile yarns.

The present invention relates to open-end spinning and particularly topiecing up following thread breakage in open-end spinning. In thisspecification, by open-end spinning is meant the spinning of fibres intoa twisted yarn by feeding the fibres in discrete manner to afibrecollecting surface continuously removing them from the surface toform a twisted yarn and passing the twisted yarn to a take-up package.

Many systems of open-end spinning have been proposed but difliculty hasbeen experienced with all of them when attempting to piece up followingyarn breakage or when starting up the machine. In open-end spinningmachines of the type employing a rotary fibre-collecting chamber, it iscustomary to use a seed yarn, that is to say, a length of yarn used inthe threading operation but not forming part of the yarn wound on to thepackage. The seed yarn is introduced into the rotating chamber until theend picks up fibres from the collecting surface, and is then withdrawn.When the withdrawn yarn is sufficiently clear of the rotating chamber,the seed yarn is discarded and the newly formed yarn is passed throughthe delivery rollers to the take-up package where it must be knotted orotherwise secured to the yarn on the package. This operation has to berepeated each time there is a thread break and is found to be very timeconsuming.

An object of the present invention is to provide an improved method ofpiecing up in open-end spinning in which an end of yarn attached to thetake-up package can be used to start or resume the spinning operationand in which the end of yarn pieced up is acceptable for delivery to thetake-up package.

According to the present invention, there is provided a method ofpiecing up following an end breakage or upon starting spinning in theopen-end spinning of textile yarns, comprising the steps of resuming orcommencing the fibre feed, arranging for an end of spun yarn attached tothe take-up means to follow an extended path between thefibre-collecting surface and the take-up means which can be shortenedand for the end of yarn to terminate at a position in which it can befed back by a self-threading movement to the fibre-collecting surface,shortening the extended path of said yarn to allow the end of yarn tocontact and twist in fibres on the collecting surface, and drawing offthe continuous length of yarn produced.

Three embodiments of the invention will now be de scribed with referenceto the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of apparatus for carrying out a method ofpiecing up in open-end spinning according to a first embodiment of theinvention, with parts of the apparatus shown in section,

atent FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of apparatus for carry ing out amethod of piecing up in open-end spinning according to a secondembodiment of the invention, with parts of the apparatus shown insection, and

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of apparatus for carrying out a method ofpiecing up in open-end spinning according to a third embodiment of theinvention, with parts of the apparatus shown in section.

With reference first to FIG. 1, feed rollers 11 and 12 are arranged tofed a sliver 13 of fibrous material through a feed tube 14 to a spinningrotor 15 having a fibrecollecting surface 16, the fibres issuing fromthe feed tube 14 in more or less discrete fashion and being deposited onthe fibre-collecting surface 16.

Yarn is formed from twisted fibres picked up from the collecting surface16 and passes, as shown by full line 17, out of the spinning rotor 15along an axial delivery tube 18 and in normal operation passes in astraight line to delivery rollers 19 and 20 from which it may becollected on a cheese or cone in well-known manner.

When an end breakage occurs the feed rollers 11 and 12 and deliveryrollers 19 and 20 are stopped. but the spinning rotor 15 continues torotate at normal speed. The end of broken yarn 17 extending to thepackage is found and passed, as shown by chain-dot line 21, from thedelivery rollers 19 and 20 via a yarn guide 22 to a cutting device 23,where it is cut, the cutting device 23 being so positioned as to cut theyarn to a predetermined length. The cut yarn is then passed furtheraround the yarn guide 22, which is offset from the axis of the deliverytube 18, and introduced as shown by broken line 26 through the deliverytube 18 into the spinning rotor 15 so that the yarn follows an extendedpath between the fibre-collecting surface 16 and the delivery rollers 19and 20, with the end of the yarn lying adjacent to but not touching thefibre collecting surface 16.

The operation of piecing is then automatically performed by starting thefeed rollers 11 and 12 and the delivery rollers 19 and 20 so that fibresare delivered to the collecting surface 16 and the yarn released fromthe guide 22 by the pull exerted on it by the delivery rollers, therelease of the yarn causing a reduction in the length of the yarn pathand allowing the end of yarn first to be drawn back by suction in therotor into contact with the fibres on the collecting surface 16, andthen to be withdrawn from the spinning rotor 15 by the delivery rollers19 and 20 in a continuous manner, whereby yarn is again wound on to thepackage (not shown) without any knots or other piecing being necessary.

With reference now to FIG. 2, in the second embodiment of the inventionprovision is made for automatically restarting the spinning operationafter yarn breakage, or when the machine has been stopped. When the yarnbreaks, or is detached from the fibre-collecting surface due to machinestoppage, the yarn being formed is automatically held by any suitablegripping means to prevent further withdrawal thereof.

More specifically, the yarn 27 being formed in the spinning rotor 15 ofFIG. 2 passes through the delivery tube 18 and then through a pivotedguide tube 28 arranged in end-to-end relation with the delivery tube andmounted at its end adjacent the delivery tube for pivotal movement on apivot pin 10 extending at right angles to the axis of the delivery tube18. The yarn on leaving the guide tube 28 is taken up by a pair oftake-up rollers 29 and 30 and the arrangement is such that in normaloperation the yarn 27 is caused by the guide tube 28 to follow anextended path between the end of the delivery tube 18 and the take-uprollers 29 and 30.

When the yarn 27 becomes detached from the fibrecollecting surface 16 ofthe rotor 15 by end breakage, the consequent reduction in tension isautomatically detected by yarn tension detector means of known form,which in response to the reduction in tension automatically stops thetake-up rollers 29 and 30 and causes the guide tube 28 to pivot to aposition shown by chain-dot lines 281 to trap the yarn against acontacting surface of a stop 31 to prevent further withdrawal of theyarn 27.

On restarting the machine, the guide tube 28 is pivoted to a verticalposition, shown by the broken line 282 in FIG. 2, which shortens theyarn path between the rotor delivery tube 18 and the take-up rollers 29and 30, and the take-up rollers 29 and 30 are restarted, the arrangementbeing such that the end of the yarn 27 is first fed back into thespinnnig chamber 15 by the shortening of the yarn path so that the endcontacts and picks up fibres from the fibrecollecting surface and isthen withdrawn continuously by the take-up rollers 29 and 30; Spinningis thus resumed and whilst the yarn 27 is being drawn off by the take-uprollers 29 and 30 the guide tube 28 is gradually moved back to thenormal spinning position shown in full line in FIG. 2, in which itcauses the yarn to follow the extended path, thereby providing a reserveof yarn ready for use in a subsequent piecing operation.

In the third embodiment of the invention illustrated in FIG. 3, fibresfrom the delivery rollers 32 and 33 of a drafting system 34 are fed tothe inlet end of a fibre feed tube 35 down which they are drawn in anairstream and deposited in the form of a ring of fibres under the actionof centrifugal force on a fibre-collecting inner surface 36 of a hollowspinning rotor 37 arranged for rotation about a vertical axis. The rotor37 has an open uppermost end which is partially closed by a cover plate38 which also serves as a cover plate for a housing 39 within which therotor 37 is mounted. The cover plate 38 is arranged to receive the fibrefeed tube 35 which passes through it and which terminates at a positionclose to the fibre-collecting inner surface 36 of the rotor 37. Thecover plate 38 is, in addition, formed with a central opening into whichis fitted a vertically arranged yarn delivery tube 40 through which theformed yarn 41 from the rotor 37 is continuously passed upwardly and outof the rotor 37 and the housing 39. The yarn 41 is withdrawn from theyarn delivery tube 40 by a pair of yarn delivery rollers 42 and 43mounted above the tube 40 and the yarn 41 is passed by these rollers toa yarn package 44 upon which it i wound with the aid of a take-up drum45. The rotor 37 is carried by a shaft rotatably mounted in a bearinghousing 46 and arranged to be driven by a belt drive comprising adriving belt 47 and a belt pulley 48.

A horizontally arranged longitudinally displaceable traverse bar 49 isprovided behind the yarn 41 in its path from the upper end of the yarndelivery tube 40 to the yarn delivery rollers 42 and 43 and carries aforwardly projecting yarn-engaging pin 50 adapted to engage the yarn 41when the traverse bar 49 is longitudinally displaced causing the yarn 41between the yarn delivery tube 40 and the yarn delivery rollers 42 and43 to follow an extended path, as shown by broken line 51, round the pin50.

When the yarn 41 becomes detached from the fibrecollecting surface 36 ofthe rotor 37 by machine stoppage control means initiated by the machinestoppage causes the stopping almost instantaneously of the deliveryrollers 32 and 33 of the drafting system 34, the yarn delivery rollers42 and 43, the take-up drum 45 and the yarn package 44, machine brakesbeing employed if necessary. In addition, an electric motor (not shown)driving the spinning rotor 37 is switched off so that the spinning rotorslows down gradually. After a predetermined time delay, a secondarydrive is started which causes longitudinal displacement of the traversebar 49 causing the yarn engaging pin 50 to engage the yarn 41 betweenthe yarn delivery tube 40 and the yarn delivery rollers 42 and 43 anddisplace it so that it follows the extended path round the pin 50, Byincreasing the yarn path, the tail-end of yarn 41 continues to bewithdrawn from the rotor 37 at a reduced rate. This action, inconjunction with the rotation of the rotor 37 at the gradually reducingspeed, enables the ring of fibres remaining in the rotor to be spun intothe tail-end of yarn so that all the remaining fibres are taken oif thecollecting surface of the rotor. The length of traverse of the traversebar 49 is so set that all the fibres are removed from the collectingsurface whilst the final yarn end remains within the length of the yarndelivery tube 40 or is still protruding from the end of the tube butclear of the rotor.

The conveying airstream in the fibre feed tube 35 is generated byconnecting a suction pump to the rotor housing 39 and in bringing themachine to rest the pump is finally switched off after a predeterminedtime interval when the spinning rotor 37 also comes to rest or is automatically braked.

It will usually be found that the drive to the spinning rotor 37 may beswitched off at the same time as the other parts of the machine as theresidual rotation of the rotor 37 due to its momentum will usually besufficient to twist up the remaining fibres into the tail end of yarn.

When restarting the machine the suction pump is first switched on andthe spinning rotor 37 then restarted. The delivery rollers 32 and 33 ofthe drafting system which feed fibres to the inlet to the fibre feedtube 35 are then restarted and either at the same time or after apredetermined time delay the traverse bar 49 is caused to commence itsreturn stroke. As the traverse bar 49 returns, the yarn path between theyarn delivery tube 40 and the yarn delivery rollers 42 and 43 shortensand as a result the tail end of yarn lying in the delivery tube 40 isfed back into the spinning rotor 37 and comes into contact with thenewly formed fibre ring on the fiber-collecting surface 36 of the rotor37. As soon as the traverse bar 49 reaches the end of its return stroke,the yarn delivery rollers 42 and 43, take-up drum 45 and yarn package 44are restarted and the spinning of new yarn commenced. The movement ofthe traverse bar 49 may be employed to control the operation of parts ofthe machine and in the embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 3 asthe bar 49 commences its return stroke it operates a microswitch 52which causes the delivery rollers 32 and 33 of the drafting system tostart up and upon completion of the return stroke operates a secondmicroswitch 53 for starting up the yarn delivery rollers 42 and 43, thetake-up drum 45 and take-up package 44. In addition, the switches 52 and53 are employed to control the extent of traverse movement of thetraverse bar 49.

The delivery rollers 32 and 33 of the drafting system are operated athigh speed and it may be preferable to arrange for these rollers tostart up before the traverse bar 49 commences its return stroke.

We claim:

1. A method for piecing-up yarn end-breakages and yarn ends resultingfrom the commencement of spinning in the open-end spinning of textileyarns, which comprises effecting continuous feeding of a fibre to afiber-collecting surface, passing spun yarn formed from twisted fibreson said fiber-collecting surface to a yarn take-up position, passing anend of spun yarn from said yarn take-up position upon arrestment of thesame along an extended yarn path towards said fibre-collecting surface,cutting said ended yarn in its extended yarn path to a predeterminedlength to provide for termination of the same at a point spaced adjacentto said fibre-collecting surface, shortening the extended path of saidout yarn to permit the same to contact and twist in the fibres carriedon said fibrecollecting surface, and drawing off the continuous lengthof yarn produced.

2. A method for piecing-up yarn end-breakages and yarn ends resultingfrom the commencement of spinning in the open-end spinning of textileyarns, which comprises effecting continuous feeding of a fibre to afiber-collecting surface, passing spun yarn formed from twisted fibreson said fibre-collecting surface to a yarn take-up position, arrestingthe fibre feed at said yarn take-up position while continuing theproduction and withdrawal of yarn at said fibre-collecting surface,passing an end of spun yarn form said yarn take-up position uponarrestment of the same along an extended yarn path towards saidfibrecollecting surface, cutting said ended yarn in its extended yarnpath to a predetermined length to provide for termination of the same ata point spaced adjacent to said fibre-collecting surface, shortening theextended path of said out yarn to permit self-threading feed-back of thesame to said fibre-collecting surface, and drawing oft the continuouslength of yarn produced.

3. The method as claimed in claim 2, wherein the yarn extending betweenthe fibre-collecting surface and the take-up position is causedgradually to take-up said extended yarn path during normal spinning, andfurther including the step of trapping said end of yarn upon arrest ofsaid take-up position so that said end of yarn remains in a position inwhich it can be fed back by said self-threading movement to thefibre-collecting surface.

4. Apparatus for piecing-up yarn end-breakages and yarn ends resultingfrom the commencement of spinning in the open-end spinning of textileyarns, which comprises a rotating fibre-collecting surface adapted toreceive fibres and to pass spun yarn formed from twisted fibres thereon,a source of fibres and means for supplying fibres therefrom on acontinuous basis to said fibre-collecting surface, a movable yarntake-up mechanism mounted to receive spun yarn from saidfibre-collecting surface, a yarn guide mounted at a point offset fromthe path of movement of said yarn from said fibre-collecting surface tosaid yarn take-up mechanism during normal spinning, means for arrestingmovement of said yarn take-up mechanism upon interruption of the yarnfeed, a cutting device mounted adjacent to said yarn take-up mechanismand operative to out said yarn to a predetermined length upon arrestmentof said yarn take-up mechanism, and feed means mounted on saidfibre-collecting surface operative upon arrestment of said take-upmechanism and operation of said cutting device for feeding a cut end ofyarn in an extended path around said yarn guide and back towards saidfibre-collecting surface to a point spaced adjacent to saidfibre-collecting surface.

5. Apparatus for piecing-up yarn end-breakages and yarn ends resultingfrom the commencement of spinning in the open-end spinning of textileyarns, which comprises a rotating fibre-collecting surface adapted toreceive fibres and to pass spun yarn formed from twisted fibres thereon,a source of fibres and means for supplying fibres therefrom on acontinuous basis to said fibre-collecting surface, a movable yarntake-up mechanism mounted to receive spun yarn from saidfibre-collecting surface, an elongated yarn guide mounted at a pointoffset from the path of movement of said yarn from said fibre-collectingsurface to said yarn take-up mechanism during normal spinning, said yarnguide being movable between a first position in which said yarn followsan extended path to said take-up mechanism and a second position inwhich said yarn follows a shortened path to said take-up mechanism,means for arresting movement of said yarn takeup mechanism upon anend-breakage of said yarn, said yarn guide being operative upon arrestedmovement of said take-up mechanism to take up a third position, and anelement cooperating with said yarn guide upon arrest of said take-upmechanism to trap the yarn and prevent further withdrawal of the samefrom said fibre-collecting surface.

6. The apparatus as claimed in claim 4 wherein said yarn guide ismounted in a position in relation to said yarn take-up means to supportthe end of yarn in its extended path such that when operation of theyarn takeup mechanism is resumed the pull exerted on said yarn causesrelease of said yarn from said yarn guide and shortening of saidextended yarn path to said yarn takeup mechanism.

7. The apparatus as claimed in claim 6, wherein said yarn guide ismounted in a position in relation to aid cutting device such that theend of yarn being cut to said predetermined length by said cuttingdevice is passed in contact with said yarn guide, thereby facilitatingthe subsequent passage of said yarn around said guide and into saidfibre-collecting surface.

8. The apparatus as claimed in claim 5, wherein said elongated yarnguide comprises a tube through which said yarn passes, said tube beingpivotally mounted at the yarn entry end thereof.

9. The apparatus as claimed in claim 4, that further comprises yarndiverting means mounted behind the yarn in its path from thefibre-collecting surface to the yarn take-up mechanism for diverting theyarn in its passage from the fibre-collecting surface to the yarntake-up mechanism so that said yarn follows said extended path, andcontrol means initiated on machine stoppage to stop said fibre feed tosaid fibre-collecting surface, to arrest the yarn take-up mechanism andto actuate said yarn diverting means such that fibres in saidfibre-collecting surface are spun into the tail end of yarn and removedfrom said fibre collecting surface, while the final yarn end remains ata position permitting it to be fed back by a self-threading movement tosaid fibre-collecting surface.

10. The apparatus as claimed in claim 9, wherein said yarn divertingmeans comprises a longitudinally displaceable traverse bar positionedbehind the yarn in its path from the fibre-collecting surface to theyarn take-up mechanism and provided with a yarn-engaging member adaptedto engage the yarn when the traverse bar is longitudinally displaced tocause the yarn between said fibre-collecting surface and said yarntake-up mechanism to follow an extended path around said yam-engagingmember.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,334,479 8/1967 MiKulecky et a1.5734 3,354,626 11/1967 Cizek et al. 5758.89 XR 3,354,627 11/1967 Cizeket a] 57-81 JORDAN FRANKLIN, Primary Examiner W. H. SCHROEDER, AssistantExaminer U.S. Cl. X.R. 5758.89, 81, 156

